How To Save A Life
by duckys-dream
Summary: Almost all their days together began with coffee. This day had been no exception and Beckett hoped, quietly, more and more of those days which began with coffee would end this way; Castle's arms casually draped around her body, fingers exploring lazily over bare skin. *PWP that grew to a story of 4 short chapters*
1. Chapter 1

_For MISSYAlexandra simply because she never doubts me and always tells me I can._

_And because she made me do it!_

_...I didn't put up much of a fight. :)_

* * *

As her breathing becomes deeper, heartbeat slows and goosebumps prickle on her rapidly cooling skin Kate Beckett thinks back to how this all began. How did it begin? Innocently enough, as these things often do, she supposes.

"You ok?" She feels more than hears Castle's question rumble inside the cavern of his chest against which her cheek is currently pressed.

"Yes," She smiles, nodding once and running the pad of her index finger over the ridge of his collarbone under his grey cotton t-shirt, her flat palm pressed to the smooth muscle of his pec. She lets her eyes fall closed, Castle's head dropping forward, his nose pressing to the top of her head as he draws a deep breath and tightens his arms around her.

She's completely surrounded, tucked perfectly under Castle's chin and held against the broad expanse of his chest by his arms banded around her, the solid press of a wall at her back. Beckett bites down on her bottom lip, a broad grin splitting across her face and something like a giggle bubbling out of her chest when she opens her eyes again.

"Something funny, Detective?" Castle asks leaning back slightly and looking down at her expectantly as she lifts her head from his chest and tilts her face towards him. He kisses her softly, chastely, delighting in the fact he apparently can now without threat of bodily harm, and she releases her oft abused bottom lip from the vice of her teeth.

"Your friend looks a little stunned." She smiles and glances across to her right. Castle turns his head, chuckling as his eyes fall on the CPR dummy lying on its side on a table across the room, mouth hanging open and awaiting repair.

"Well I don't blame him," Castle says feigning exasperation as he turns back to look at Beckett. "I have to say this is _not_ how I expected this day to turn out."

"Me either," Beckett concedes with a nod, drawing a deep breath and letting her eyes fall closed for a moment before stretching up and capturing Castle's lips.

"Beckett," Castle says around a groan as she lays a wet, open mouthed kiss against his Adam's apple. She hums in the back of her throat, acknowledging his questioning tone but unwilling to lift her mouth away long enough to answer properly. She hunches her shoulders slightly, a smile playing across her lips as Castle lowers his head to speak directly into her ear, his breath tickling her neck as he exhales. "You aren't wearing any pants right now," He whispers conspiratorially, as if she may not be aware of the fact.

"No shit, Castle," Beckett huffs a laugh before letting her voice drop to a rough whisper. "That's because we just had sex."

"Fair enough," Castle shrugs, kissing each corner of the smile on Beckett's face before dropping to a crouch, shooting a devious grin towards Kate as he untangles her jeans from where they're caught around one ankle and helps her step back into the material. He stands, sliding the denim up her calves, over her knees and along her thighs as he rises. He presses a firm, deep kiss to her mouth again, tongue laving and exploring as he works to re-button her pants.

"Only one of your shoes is here," He says as he pulls her body firm against his again. "The other one, I have no idea."

"It's by the door," Beckett mumbles, unconcerned when Richard Castle is kissing her like this.

She thinks, in passing, that this probably began with coffee. Almost all their days together began with coffee, after all. This day had been no exception and Beckett hoped, quietly, more and more of those days which began with coffee would end this way; Castle's arms casually draped around her body, fingers exploring lazily over bare skin.

Today began with coffee, but this – they – began years ago. Not with coffee but with a few whispered words.

_You have no idea_.

And he hadn't.

But neither had she.

* * *

u/1495156/MISSYAlexandra


	2. Chapter 2

_Fluff? Anyone?_

* * *

Castle stopped just inside the doorway, stepping to one side to keep out of the way. His eyes fell on her instantly, his eyes always fell on her instantly when they entered shared space, and he took a moment to appreciate Kate Beckett for all she was when her guard was down.

That is; when she didn't know he was watching her.

Dressed comfortably in jeans, a purple and white striped shirt with a rounded scoop neckline and black ballet flats, she was leaning casually against a wall halfway into the room. A Styrofoam cup containing steaming coffee cradled in one hand as she surveyed the room, the detective always on duty, watching the other people who had gathered in the space and making a precursory assessment of her companions for the day.

She was positioned unassumingly at the juncture of two sections of the room, just behind where the large concertina panel which could separate the space into two rooms was pushed back into an alcove in the wall. Behind her the room was a large open space and in front of her it tapered and gave way to a slightly narrower section filled with rows of chairs and tables. There was a projector and screen at the front of the room displaying a large colourful message welcoming participants to the one day CPR and first aid course.

"You're not honestly drinking that sludge, are you?" Castle asked, having taken long measured steps across the room to stand directly behind her, noting with satisfaction the slight flinch of her shoulders as he spoke. She'd been so distracted by her evaluation of the other people in the room that he'd been able to sneak up on her.

Beckett grinned at the sound of his voice, managing to set her face in a glare as she pushed off the wall with her shoulder and spun to face him. "Castle, what are you doing here?"

"Well I certainly didn't come for the coffee," He said reaching out and taking the Styrofoam cup from her hand, grimacing as he sniffed the thick, dark liquid. Beckett crossed both arms across her chest, her eyebrows shooting to her hairline as she looked at him with an expression halfway between blatant expectation and annoyance, a hint of amusement in the smile she hid behind a purse of her lips. "Here," He said holding the cardboard cup holder in his other hand towards her. Beckett's eyes flicked from Castle's face to the brightly coloured cardboard cups and back. Castle smiled and shrugged, holding the cup holder slightly closer.

"Thank you, Castle, but I get the sneaking suspicion you didn't come all the way out here just to bring me coffee." Beckett said taking the cup marked with a bold pen stroke she interpreted to be a V.

"I'm here to learn how to save a life, Beckett," Castle said matter-of-factly as he threw the cup holder and Beckett's unwanted Styrofoam cup in the nearest bin, holding his own coffee to his lips and taking a long sip. "You never know when disaster may strike."

"You're such a drama queen," Beckett said rolling her eyes and sipping the coffee Castle had brought her, inhaling slowly through her nose as she savoured the taste rolling across her tongue.

"We have a very dangerous job, Beckett," Castle said slightly exasperated

"I'm sorry, _we_? Did you just say _we_ have a dangerous job?"

"We do!" He exclaimed and Beckett rolled her eyes again.

"I do, Castle,"

"And who's with you, Kate?" He said, suddenly more serious. "Every single day, who's out there with you? I am."

"By choice," She offered.

"That doesn't make it any less dangerous." Castle shrugged. "You could need it one day, you know? You _don't _know and that's the whole point. Someday I might need to know how to do this stuff for you, for your life."

"Castle," Beckett started, shaking her head and glancing at the ground but Castle cut her off.

"I could need it for Alexis someday." He added. "It's important, ok?"

"Ok," Beckett nodded, offering Castle a smile. "These things drag on, anyway, so I'm glad to have some company."

"Are you saying I'm a distraction?"

"Yes, always," Beckett smiled wider, nodding. "Today you're just a welcome one." She grinned, rolling her eyes again at Castle's wounded look. "Come on, let's find a seat before they all fill up."

"Are you going to pass me love notes under the desk, Detective Beckett?" Castle teased, eager and enthusiastic as always. "We could do a bit of something else under a desk," He added, receiving a patented Kate Beckett '_are you actually serious right now?_' glare.

"Shut up, Castle, or the only thing that will be happening under a desk is me kicking you in the shins." Beckett said and Castle paused for a moment.

"Footsies then," He said and Beckett groaned loudly, feigning sobs.


	3. Chapter 3

_Oh! OH! The next chapter is M!_

_Are we excited... ?_

_Yeah, is anyone even reading this thing? Ok._

_Biiiiiiiiiiiigest thank you to those who've dropped me a little review. I haz a happy. :)  
_

* * *

"You aren't," Beckett paused, an almost primal grunt escaping her lips before she drew a deep breath. "You aren't counting, Castle."

"Twenty-one," Castle said swallowing hard and forcing his eyes back to Beckett's; forcing them_ away_ from her heaving chest and the straining muscles in her arms and shoulders. Beckett's breath was coming in ragged gasps as she worked to press down on the chest of the CPR dummy lying on the ground between them. She was up on her knees, leaning forward, her arms straight from shoulder to wrist and her hands overlapping on the chest of the dummy. "Twenty-seven, twenty-eight," Castle continued counting, shifting slightly on his knees and leaning closer to Beckett.

"Thirty," Beckett puffed and Castle curled forward, sealing his mouth over the mouth of the dummy and exhaling two strong sharp breaths through the fabric patch in the face shield their instructor had provided them. Castle moved back onto his knees as Beckett resumed compressions.

"Let me take over, Beckett, you're exhausted."

"Next cycle," Beckett growled. "Keep counting."

"Eleven, twelve,"

"Castle, you're staring." Beckett said, the effort she was exerting to compress the dummy's chest causing beads of sweat to break out across her forehead, her cheeks were flushed and Castle could see her pulse beating rapidly at the side of her throat. Every so often Beckett would grunt softly, draw a quick almost shuddering breath or sigh deeply in an attempt to control her breathing and focus her energy on the task at hand.

He was playing with fire, tempting fate, by looking at her so gratuitously and without even really trying to hide it but he couldn't help it. He couldn't help it when she was making those noises and breathing that way and when they were in such close proximity. She was asking for it, really.

She was going to hurt him.

He was going to hell, firstly, and Kate Beckett was probably going to make him cry like a little girl just as soon as they were away from all these witnesses.

As Castle watched, trying and failing to think of a quick comeback Beckett lifted her chin and flicked her head quickly to one side, attempting to get a stray lock of hair out of her eyes without use of her hands and Castle swallowed hard, catching a glimpse of the white lacy edge of her bra and the swell of the top of her breasts down the slight gape in material at the neck of her shirt while she was in this position.

"Well," Castle started but stopped, sighing deeply. "I can't help it Beckett. You're gorgeous." He said, giving away more than he meant to and reaching out to tuck her hair behind her ears and out of her way. Beckett shot him that look, glaring at him from under her lashes. It was the look that usually bracketed an eye roll but tinged with something else Castle couldn't quite place. His fingers lingering against the skin at the base of her jaw for a moment before he pulled back.

"Just keep counting, Castle, and get ready to take over." Beckett said. "We are _not_ losing this."

"Ok, ok," Castle nodded and started counting out loud again. His detective and her competitive streak, Castle thought as Beckett continued to use the entire weight of her body to press down on the CPR dummy's chest. He'd known, the moment their instructor had proposed a little friendly contest in which the pairs begin CPR on rotation to see which couple could last the longest before exhaustion won out, he'd known he was in trouble. Kate Beckett was many things, and she did many things well and with such ease and grace and poise.

Losing was not one of those things.

Castle knew the purpose of the exercise was to demonstrate, in a light and fun environment, that the CPR techniques they had just spent the morning learning, while the most effective and efficient, were still very physically demanding. He and Beckett, along with a handful of other couples still keeping pace, were now in their twentieth minute of CPR rotation and it was beginning to toll.

Beckett neared her thirtieth compression for the cycle and Castle rose up on his knees again, ready to take over compressions while Beckett delivered two breaths to their dummy. As Beckett leant sideways, Castle placing his hands on the dummy's chest, he noted that she made no move to rouse him for forgetting to change the face shields from his to hers, the other couples had or were in the process of doing just that, she had no hesitation sealing her mouth over the fabric patch and the dummy's mouth where his lips had been only moments earlier.

"That's practically kissing," Castle exclaimed quietly as he began the next cycle of compressions and Beckett was glaring at him again, this time with a hint of surprise. "Well it is," Castle said, impressed with the calmness he was able to force into his voice. "My mouth was _just there_, right where your mouth was."

"Really, Castle? Kissing? That's what you get out of this whole thing? Kissing,"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Castle asked and Beckett grinned, one eyebrow lifting. "Katherine Beckett," He gasped, voice quiet. "Are you insinuating that I should be equating this experience to _sex_?" He asked, smirking as he saw a blush begin to colour Beckett's cheeks. "This is _serious_."

"You don't think sex is serious?" Beckett asked, unable to think of anything else.

"I didn't say that," Castle shook his head. "I think sex with you would be very serious, but in a very different way."

"You think about sex with me?" She asked, the grin creeping back onto her face. Castle leant forward a few inches more as Beckett rose up on her knees. They'd both been counting Castle's compressions in their heads and they knew it was almost time for Beckett to deliver two more breaths to their dummy.

"Yes," Castle said, his voice a dangerously low whisper in Beckett's ear. "Don't you?" He asked, his barely-there stubble scratching lightly over Beckett's cheek before she moved away, bending down and sealing her mouth over the dummy's. "Do you, Beckett?" Castle asked, voice still low and serious but slightly louder, eyes tracking her movements as she straightened up and he began compressions again. "Think about us?" He clarified, watching the blush on her cheeks darken as her eyes flicked away, gaze fixing on something outside the window.

When her eyes came back to his they were coloured with something else, that same unidentified emotion Castle had seen earlier. He supposed it was embarrassment, a little, she'd never known how to take his compliments, but as Castle watched the swirling darkness in her eyes he realised that the rest of what he was seeing wasn't embarrassment at all.

He had his answer without a single word being spoken, mysteries suddenly revealed in unfathomable hazel depths.

What he saw was pure and unadulterated desire. The sudden clarity, that she'd been hiding it for goodness knows how long, made Castle's eyes widen suddenly and Beckett glanced away again, hiding her eyes from him as she pulled her bottom lip in behind her teeth.

"Kate," Castle said on an exhale and her eyes snapped back to his at the use of her first name for the second time that day.

"I'm counting, Castle," Beckett said clearing her throat and shifting her position slightly. Castle simply nodded, willing to let her carry on for now but making her promise – with a look – that this conversation would be continued.


	4. Chapter 4

_I made Castle and Beckett do WHAT now?!_

_Oh...my! :)  
_

* * *

She was avoiding him. They both knew it and they both knew it was ridiculous but she's unwilling to relinquish, as usual. They'd won the silly little competition, by miles, even though they hadn't spoken a word for over half an hour. Relying on body language alone they'd continued to rotate compressions and rescue breaths. Taking over wordlessly, soundlessly spare a few grunts, from each other until the instructor had called for their attention again. While the instructor praised them and reiterated why it was so important to communicate with other first aiders and promote good team work, Beckett inched closer to the door basically making the entire speech redundant.

They hadn't spoken since her eyes had revealed certain truths to him without her permission.

She'd refused to meet his eyes again.

The class had broken up and scattered for lunch, most people scurrying off to a small diner at the end of the block for burgers, fries and an assortment of other quick and easy meals. Castle had tried to get Beckett's attention but she'd refused to acknowledge him, slipping away almost instantly and disappearing towards the bathrooms.

"We need to talk," Castle almost growled in her ear, crowding her from behind as she surveyed the choices in a vending machine in the hall just outside their classroom. Beckett's eyes fell closed and she drew a slow breath as Castle's hands came to rest on her shoulders, squeezing gently.

"Ok," Beckett nodded, opening her eyes again. "Not in the hallway." She said and ducked under Castle's arm as she turned and headed back towards the classroom. She didn't need to look to know Castle was following her, she could feel his eyes on her back as they moved. Kate's eyes scanned the room quickly, finding only three people inside, huddled together reading through a workbook. She walked purposefully across the room and slipped into a small store room off one side of the classroom, stepping aside to let Castle into the room before closing and locking the door.

She still wouldn't meet his eyes.

Beckett crossed the room, releasing a sigh as she squeezed her eyes closed, fists balling at her sides. Castle remained just inside the door and Beckett stood with her back to him, he gave her as much space as he could without letting her think she could get away without resolving this.

It didn't have to be a big deal but he did need to know.

He didn't need to know how she felt, he'd seen that for himself, what he needed was to know why she was still denying it when it was so obviously mutual. Beckett drew another deep breath and the world seemed to stop as she began to turn towards him. Castle expected anger or embarrassment or a stone cold glare when she finally turned to face him but he got none of those things.

He can see it, she is absolutely certain, he sees it the second her resolve breaks and the walls she's built crash down. She knows he fully realises and understands, in that second, that she didn't build those walls to hurt him or keep him out, but simply to protect herself not realising what it would later mean. She sees an extra flash of something that might be happiness or joy (or love?) in his eyes the moment she lets him in. In the space between two heartbeats she gives up fighting herself and in a single swift movement and with long strides she's turned, crossed the room and grabbed him by the shoulders.

By the time the next heartbeat thuds in her chest their lips are crashing together, her arms tightening around his neck and his banding around her waist, pulling each other impossibly close.

"Yes," She breathes the word into his mouth. "Yes, I've thought about us having sex."

"I figured," Castle chuckles, his hands working their way under her shirt, splaying across the bare skin of her lower back.

"Shut up, Castle, and kiss me again." She said rising up on her toes and pressing her mouth to his. Their second kiss is longer, slower, gentler and more tender; tongues seeking permission to taste and explore, claiming and learning at the same time.

All the air left Castle's lungs in a rush when Beckett surged forward suddenly and pushed her body hard against his, forcing his back against the wall beside the door. He slid his hands down over the toned muscles of her ass, fingers digging into the backs of her thighs, and spun them to the left, forcing a knee between her thighs as he returned her now fevered kiss and reversed their positions.

Beckett gasped and rolled her hips against Castle's thigh at the friction the movement created. The fingers of her left hand were twisted in Castle's hair, her right wrapped around his body, palm flat against his back. Castle grinned as he squeezed her ass before moving his hand away, pressing his palms flat into the wall either side of Beckett's head, trapping her in the space and breaking their kiss.

He studied her face, lips moist and swollen, eyes hooded and pupils blown with lust. He lowered himself towards her slowly, brushing his lips over hers; once, twice, three times. Beckett's lips parted and she whimpered softly, the hand in his hair pulling him closer, their tongues meeting in open air before their lips made firm contact again.

Castle dropped one hand to Beckett's waist, the other tangling in the loosely knotted hair at the back of her head, tugging lightly to coax her to tilt her head and deepen the kiss.

"This is wrong." She whispered against his mouth, her teeth scraping lightly over his bottom lip as they broke apart for air.

"Mm, so wrong," He agreed kissing a torturously slow line along her jaw.

"We should stop." Beckett gasped, her eyes squeezing tightly closed as his hand slid across her abdomen, deft fingers flicking the button open on her jeans to allow himself more room before he disappeared below the waistband. He stroked her through her panties before his fingers slipped under the damp cotton and into the slick heat of her.

She gasped again when his middle finger brushed over her clit. Castle circled the sensitive bud of nerves gradually increasing the speed and pressure. He closed his mouth over hers to muffle a cry when he slipped two fingers inside her, curling forward and almost instantly finding that spot that drove her crazy; talented fingers working her into a veritable frenzy as if he was inside her every day. His thumb replaced the work his fingers had been doing until tiny colourless fireworks sparked at the corner of Beckett's vision and she began whimpering into his mouth.

"Still think we should stop?" Castle asked applying more pressure before moving his hand slowly away. Beckett hummed disapproval and pressed her hips forward, trapping his hand against his thigh and riding it with short, jerking thrusts. Castle kissed along her jaw again, teeth scraping lightly, and took her earlobe gently between his teeth.

"Don't stop," Beckett whispered breathlessly. "God, Castle," She gasped when he curled his fingers inside her again. "Don't, don't you dare stop." Her threat losing any and all power as she let out a keening groan, sucking in short sharp breaths as she felt her orgasm building, unaware of anything but the firm, swift pressure of his fingers inside her and his thumb against her clit, his other hand kneading her breast, and the hot press of his mouth, so close to the edge and so ready to fall if he'd just…

Her given name and Castle's breathless command in her ear finally broke her apart. "Kate, come for me." She pressed her face into the juncture of his neck to stifle another cry, teeth sinking into the flesh as he worked her through her orgasm, drawing out her pleasure and bringing her down slowly. She gasped and hummed in the back of her throat when Castle slowly removed his fingers.

"Rick," She whispered finding his lips again. She reached between them and unbuttoned his pants with surprising dexterity considering the tremors still running through her muscles. Castle tugged her jeans downward with both hands, forcing them towards the ground, thankful she'd chosen not to wear skinny jeans as the material fell and puddled at her feet. Beckett had pulled Castle's zipper down, rearranging the fabric of his boxers to free his growing erection before wrapping her slender fingers around the width of him.

"Kate," Castle said pulling back from her mouth just enough to meet her eyes. She studied his face, smiling and reflecting all his emotion back to him. There was a single question written into every feature of his face.

_Are you sure?_

"I don't mean to alarm you," Castle whispered, his breath hot on her lips. "But that dummy is watching us." He said, his eyes flicking across to a CPR dummy and back to Beckett. Beckett laughed, squeezing him gently and delighting in his reaction to her and thankful for Castle giving her one final out despite what they'd already done. She didn't know where the line was anymore because he was letting her draw it.

"Let him watch," Beckett said pulling his head back to hers with a hand on each side of his head. "You should be happy, Castle, I thought you would be, to have a witness."

"Do I need one?" He asked holding her shoulders steady and studying her eyes, frowning slightly.

"No," Beckett smiled, pulling her bottom lip in behind her teeth and shaking her head. "I don't want you to go around bragging about this or shouting from rooftops but I won't deny this, I won't deny us, not anymore."

"Tell me," Castle said, pressing her against the wall with his chest. "Tell me what you want," He said kissing her deeply and sliding one hand down her bare thigh. Beckett broke her mouth away from Castle's, kissing a line along his jaw to his ear.

"I want to feel you inside me," She breathed before moving back to his mouth, kissing him deeply again. It was the final assurance he needed. He bent his knees slightly and hooked her thighs, lifting her enough that she was able to wrap her legs around his waist, her arms draped over his shoulders, their lips never separating. Castle held Beckett's weight with one arm, her back pressed against the wall, and reached between them to pull her now soaked underwear aside.

He entered her in one hard stroke, all but crushing her against the wall as he stretched her and filled her completely. Their lips finally came apart as his name tumbled from her lips again mixed up in another gasp. He stroked shallowly through her second orgasm amazed that she could come simply from the sensation of him entering her. She dug her fingers into his shoulders and crossed her ankles behind him, drawing him deeper.

"Faster," She whispered against his lips and he complied pressing her hard against the wall with long, deep strokes. He slid his hands down her body and lifted her slightly higher. His pubic bone now brushed against her clit with each stroke. "Come with me." She breathed pressing her head back against the solid surface behind her. "Rick, please,"

Castle felt Beckett's inner muscles start to contract around him. After two more strokes his name fell from her lips again as she came hard pulling him along with her.

The universe expanded and contracted again in an instant. There was no sound but the rush of blood. No sensation but that of each other where they were joined.

Nothing but this, only this, only them.

They slowly regained their senses, tangled together and breathing hard for a few minutes, Beckett held in place by nothing but the weight of Castle's body pressing her against the wall. When Castle was sure Beckett could stand on her own again he moved back slightly and let her slide back to the floor. She drew a quick breath when he slid out of her. He readjusted himself and redid his pants with one hand, the other arm still wrapped around her as she tucked herself under his chin and pressed her ear to his chest, listening to his heartbeat as it beat in sync with her own rapid pulse.

Beckett let her eyes close as Castle wrapped his other arm around her his hands joined at the small of her back.

"You ok?" Castle asked…

* * *

**Be sure and follow me or check back coz there's bound to be some more frivolity soon.  
**

**Thank you very much for reading. :)  
**


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